Balantidium Coli
Balantidium Coli
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET – INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES
SECTION I – INFECTIOUS AGENT
NAME: Balantidium coli
SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: Balantidiosis, balantidiasis, balantidial dysentery
CHARACTERISTICS: Ciliated protozoa with a large, ovoid trophozoite 40-70 µm long, covered with cilia; contains both macronucleus and micronucleus; cysts are usually 50-55 µm in diameter
SECTION II – HEALTH HAZARD
PATHOGENICITY: Infection of colon characterized by diarrhea or dysentery; accompanied by abdominal colic, tenesmus, nausea, and vomiting with bloody and mucoid stools
EPIDEMIOLOGY: Worldwide; human infection rate is low; waterborne epidemics common in areas with poor sanitation or environmental contamination with swine feces
HOST RANGE: Humans, other nonhuman primates and pigs
INFECTIOUS DOSE: Not known
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: Fecal-oral route; fecally contaminated water is a major mechanism of transmission
INCUBATION PERIOD: Usually 4-5 days
COMMUNICABILITY: As long as the illness persists
SECTION III – DISSEMINATION
RESERVOIR: Swine, non-human primates, rats, and possibly other animals
ZOONOSIS: Via swine fecal contaminated soil
VECTORS: None
SECTION IV – VIABILITY
DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Sensitive to metronidazole, tetracycline, iodoquinol
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Susceptible to 1% sodium hypochlorite, 2% glutaraldehyde (ordinary water chlorination does not destroy cysts)
PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Sensitive to heat
SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Cysts survive for long periods in the environment
SECTION V – MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE: Monitor for symptoms; confirm by microscopic demonstration of trophozoite and cyst in feces
FIRST AID/TREATMENT: Administer appropriate drug therapy
IMMUNIZATION: None available
PROPHYLAXIS: None available
SECTION VI – LABORATORY HAZARDS
LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: None reported to date
SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Stool specimens
PRIMARY HAZARDS: Ingestion
SPECIAL HAZARDS: Swine feces
SECTION VII – RECOMMENDED PRECAUTIONS
CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Biosafety level 2 practices are recommended for activities involving infectious stages of the parasite
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Laboratory coat; gloves when skin contact with infectious materials is unavoidable
OTHER PRECAUTIONS: None
SECTION VIII – HANDLING INFORMATION
SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle: wearing protective clothing gently cover the spill with absorbent paper towel and apply 1% sodium hypochlorite starting at the perimeter and working towards the center; allow sufficient contact time (30 min) before clean up
DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all wastes before disposal; steam sterilization, chemical disinfection, incineration
STORAGE: In sealed containers that are appropriately labelled
SECTION IX – MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
Date prepared: November 1999
Prepared by: Office of Laboratory Security, PHAC
Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet are compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability or for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information. Newly discovered hazards are frequent and this information may not be completely up to date.
Copyright © Health Canada, 2001
This MSDS / PSDS document, provided by Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), is offered here as a FREE public service to visitors of www.EHS.com. As outlined in this site’s Terms of Use, VelocityEHS is not responsible for the accuracy, content or any aspect of the information contained therein.
Need an SDS? Search our entire SDS database containing millions of documents.